Food mixer apparatus



y 1960 R. A. LAMBERT 2,943,846

FOOD MIXER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 14, 1958 INVENTOR RAOUL A. LAMBERT ATTORNEY -Patented July 5, 1960 il his invefition relates to household mixers, and more particularly 'to a case for a portable, hand-held mixer of the type'used in domestic kitchens 'for agitating, stirring and whipping foods. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus of this kind.

The most popular types of portable mixers comprise a power head having a carrying handle, speed control means and "readily detachable heaters, and usually "are of light, compact construction so that the mixer can be rhand-supported during short periods of use.

' When it: is desired to stir or foods for extended however, the portable mixer presents the disadvantage of requiring the user to constantly attend to the operation, while holding the mixer with increasing discomfort. A further disadvantage of the portable mixer is that some users are not altogether satisfied with storing the unit either inconspicuously or in a drawer where it may be subjected to damage by other objects.

In accordance with the present invention, a portable mixer of the class described and having an inboard power unit is mounted on the rear wall of a case by means of a support which is capable of pivotal movement about horizontal and vertical axes. The case has a front door upon which a seat for a mixing bowl is secured in a manner which permits free rotation of the bowl and adjustment of the bowl position with respect to the heaters. The support includes a bracket which allows ready detachment of the mixer from the bracket in order that the mixer can be hand supported for some cooking operations, such as stirring foods being cooked on a range. By this case construction it is easily possible to mount the case in a wall recess in order to obtain a built-in appearance without sacrificing kitchen work space. The case and mixer are of light weight and when the case is equipped with a carrying handle the combination is readily portable. This feature appeals especially to users who make infrequent use of a food mixer and prefer to store the assembly in a closet until it is to be used.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide a case for a portable mixer which renders the mixer detachable for hand-held use and supportable by the case for use in the manner of a conventional heavy duty mixer, and which compactly encases the mixer in fixed position for safe and sanitary storage.

The foregoing and other objects are effected by the invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of the case and mixer, constructed and arranged according to the invention, showing the front door of the case in open position and the mixer exposed in stored position;

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the case of Fig. 1 with the door in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the supporting member of this invention connected to the rear wall of the case; and

States Patent e Fig. 4 is a frentperspeetiveview of the case with the door in open position and a showing a bowl positioned on a bowl seat and the mixer-extending outwardly from the rear wall of'the case. Full lines are used to illustrate the position of -the mixer for receiving a bowl on the howl seat, and dashed lines are used to show the mixer in operating position. V

Referring'to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a hox-like case for-a portable food mixer 11. The case 10 has a front openin'g and a door '12'hing'edly connected along its bottom edge for movement, as shown in Figs. '1 and -2, betwee'n open and'tzlo'sed positions, respectively. In order to retain the door 12 securely shut when it is in closed position a latch 131s provided. 7 a

The door llofthe-case carries, on its inner surfac'e, a bowl seat 16 that is attached to the door by a shift lever 17. The seat 16 is adapted to receive amixing bowl '14 thereon in p'rop'er'operatin'g position relative the mixer' il wh'enthe door is in its open position (see Fig. 4-). The shift lever 17 supports the seat 16 for free rotationatone end'ofthe lever, and is secured'intermediate it's-ends to the inner face of the door 12 by a suitable fastener, such as a rivet-18. The-rivet 18 also serves as apivo't at time'swhen it is de's'iredto POSltiOIlIhfi mix ihghowl 14 with" fleet to the mixer 11-by angular 'movement of the lever 1 7.

Pivotally connected to a rear upright wall 19 of the case 10 to one side of the middle of the wall is a support 21 for the mixer 11. The support 21 is constructed to permit movement of the mixer about vertical and horizontal axes. As best seen in Fig. 3, the support includes a generally L-shaped member 22 having a vertical leg thereofriveted to the rear case wall 19 in a manner which permits rotation of the member 22 about a horizontal axis. Also included in the support 21 is an L- shaped bracket 23 having a horizontal leg which is riveted to the horizontal leg of member 22 in order to permit rotation of the bracket 23 about a vertical axis. The

bracket 23 has a vertically extending tongue portion 24 I which is removably received in a vertical slot 26 formed in the end of the mixer housing opposite the heaters.

and is, therefore, capable of being used separate or apart from the casing as a hand-held mixer. While the casing is equipped with a unique support that enables the mixer to he used in the manner of a stationary, heavy duty mixer, the construction of the support permits the mixer to be readily detached therefrom. 7

One of the noteworthy features of this invention resides in the ability of the case 10 to he installed in a kitchen wall recess so that a neat, built-in appearance is obtained along with the saving of work space.

When the mixer 11 is to be operated, the door 13 is unlatched and moved to an open horizontal position wherein the door rests on a supporting surface. mixer 11 is next swung on its support 21 about a vertical axis so that the mixer extends forwardly of the rear wall 19 and its heaters extend downwardly in close proximity to the bowl seat 16. In order to place a mixing bowl 14 on the seat 16 without interference from the heaters, the mixer 11 is rotated on its support 21 about a horizontal axis, and counter-rotated to operating position after the bowl 14 to be disposed in optimum position with respect to the mixers heaters, as determined by the size of the mixing bowl. For hand-held use the mixer 11 is moved upwardly with respect to the case 10 The ' E0 that th bracket tongue 7 ;detachirig';thel mixer i; What isrclaimed-is':

Y V is remove'dfi'om the mixer r slot 26.t n'I'hefreverseiofithe'above procedure is followed a ffZQThe combination with a 'portable household mn ger 7 havingan elongated power'unit'and'arleastone beater? d pendingr io o e nd o r i r Power oiafla in 'From the foregoing it can be seen that an mexpensive 1 v casehas been provided which permits compact storage of caiiportablegmixer andi whichlgiyes the; user the optionof f r. :h1a ndehe d use o d s ss th mixer' in the-jmanner ofia heavydutyzm ftmodifications without departing from {the spirit thereof.

1. The combination with I having a'n'elongated power unit, and at least one'beater a portablehousehold mixer V i While thelinventionnhas' been. shown in but one form, ritwill'be-obyious for thoseskilled in the art'that it'is not sorlimited; butiis sus eptible of various changes and having a .plurality of upright walls and "horizontal ivalls comprising a first'pivotal connection providing-swinging is depending from one end of ;said power unit, of means -for';supporting said mixer. in. storage and operating posi- -tion's and comprising an up right wall, and means carried by saidwallandengageable with the end of saidr mixe'r power unit opposite said beater for supporting said power unitiina' i bsiantifil y hg i p al:a1fit d6,isaid last-n me comprising a second pivotal connection permitting swinge" s re p a firstipivMal; Qnnectiofi, pro

Qverticzilj'axis and permittingsaid mixer to be moved to a storage position parallel: to 'said'wal1 and to operga i g position normal to saidwall, said last-named means further comprising aisecond pivotal connection permitting a'xis'to facilitate placement of, a bowl beneath 7 said mixer in operative relation to said beater.

' "swinging movement of'said mixer about; a substantially 7 r Iswinging movement of saiimixer about a substantially r-horizontal axis extending longitudinally of themixer,

' whereby. said mixer -maygbe tilted 7 about said horizontal g0 movement of said mixer about a substantially- -yertioal axis and permitting said mixer'to bemoved'toias'torage position parallel to the vyall of said reasing 'opposite said 1 hingedly mounted Wall andlto an operating'position nor-.

mal to said opposite wall, said supportingmeans further ing movement of said mixer about a substantially horil-F 1t x sd l9i il lil eulq he mix r me %b sa m x r. may betil e z Q t a d b m rt a i -to facilitateplacemnt ot-:a-

beneath said fmixer in operative relation tosaid beater.

J M-M- R aa 'spid pa 7 V UNITEDQSTATES PATENTS a 2,323,945 Strauss et a1. July 1351943 2,462,089 Frisbienn r Feb.*2'2 ,j1949 r a 4 2,639,904' 7 McMaster etal. May 26,1953 2,789,798 Brace -'-A r. 23,1957 

